Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt (www.uni-frankfurt.de) and Kiel University (both Germany; www.uni-kiel.de) have developed a new sensor for the detection of bacteria. It is based on a chip with a surface coating that ensures only very specific microorganisms, such as…
Nanocellular graphene (NCG) is a specialized form of graphene that achieves a large specific surface area by stacking multiple layers of graphene and controlling its internal structure with a nanoscale cellular morphology. Although the material has the potential to improve…
The production and processing of cathode active materials (CAM) are among the largest contributors to the cost of lithium-ion battery manufacturing. Typical CAM manufacture involves multiple, multi-phase steps in a co-precipitation process that requires a large amount of water and…
Plant Watch Celanese expands production capacities for acetic acid and VAE April 9, 2024 — Celanese Corp. (Dallas, Tex.; www.celanese.com) started up a new production unit for vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) in Nanjing, China and completed several downstream debottlenecking projects…
Trends related to the energy transition are shifting global demand for refined products and affecting feedstock slates, forcing petroleum refiners to embrace adaptation and flexibility Demand for fossil fuels has remained strong in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, but…
Performance improvements in robotics technologies for manufacturing and energy operations are leading to greater productivity, cost savings and safety improvements In the chemical process industries (CPI), mobile robots, often in conjunction with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), are…
Particle size and shape, as well as particle size distribution (PSD) are key determinants of bulk solids behavior [1–4]. A particle can be defined as a single unit of material having discrete physical boundaries that define its size. Particle science…
Steam-heated storage tanks are critical to manufacturing processes, and prioritizing reliability in tank-system design and operations can mitigate unwanted issues Storage tanks are essential to the chemical process industries (CPI), and they require significant capital investment to ensure optimal installation…
By combining mechanical integrity and reliability programs into a single framework, plants can streamline their asset maintenance strategies and mitigate all types of risk Asset maintenance first hit the headlines during the late 1980s when it became a target for…
There have been several recent announcements regarding regulatory changes that affect the chemical process industries (CPI). One of the latest is a set of final rules announced on April 9 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) that significantly…